NEW DELHI: Countries must build “resilient infrastructure” against natural disasters that are becoming more frequent and severe, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday.

Addressing the sixth edition of the International Conference on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), Modi said investing in such infrastructure will ensure a safer future for all. "As we all have witnessed, natural disasters are becoming more frequent and more severe. The damage they cause is usually reported in dollars, but their true impact on people, families and communities is beyond just numbers," he said through a recorded message for the event.

“We must invest in resilient infrastructure today for a better tomorrow,” said Modi, underlining the necessity for countries to mitigate the damage natural disasters cause.

He listed the human suffering of natural calamities, such as rendering thousands homeless due to earthquakes, endangering public health through disruptions in water and sewage systems, and posing risks to energy plants, leading to potentially hazardous situations.

"The world can be resilient collectively only when each country is resilient individually. Shared resilience is important because of the shared risks. CDRI and this conference help us come together for this collective mission."

Modi reiterated that disasters know no borders and have far-reaching consequences in an interconnected world, necessitating “individual resilience for collective resilience”.

Acknowledging the vulnerability of Small Island Developing States, he emphasised the importance of supporting the most vulnerable to achieve shared resilience, citing initiatives by CDRI to fund projects in such regions.

Modi commended CDRI's focus on the global south and highlighted India's efforts, including the formation of a disaster risk reduction working group during its G20 presidency.

He praised CDRI's growth since its inception in 2019, evolving into a global coalition of 39 countries and seven organisations.

The Prime Minister's remarks come days after a World Meteorological Organisation report called Asia as the most "disaster-hit" region in 2023.